


The Lonely King and the Lost Prince

by supercasey



Series: Nomad of Nowhere: Twins AU [4]
Category: Nomad of Nowhere (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Siblings, Alternate Universe - Twins, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Domestic Violence, Father-Son Relationship, Forced adoption, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, M/M, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), me? writing for a fandom that's more or less dead? it's more likely than you think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercasey/pseuds/supercasey
Summary: Nodad/Twins AU. Hunter meets the “Evil” king of Nowhere, El Rey, but he gets treated to a big surprise upon meeting him. There’s a lot that Hunter knows about his father that he’d much rather forget, but under these circumstances, old wounds are reopened, and he’s faced with something he can’t clap his way out of. El Rey, in the meantime, tries to parent the son of his dead ex-boyfriend, whether that son wants him to or not.
Relationships: El Rey/Original Male Character, Nomad & Skout (Nomad of Nowhere), Nomad & Toth (Nomad of Nowhere), Original Male Character/Original Female Character, Skout/Toth (Nomad of Nowhere)
Series: Nomad of Nowhere: Twins AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1117542
Kudos: 18





	The Lonely King and the Lost Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, I’m getting to write the scene I’ve been most excited to write for the Twins AU! I’m currently working on a HUGE fic for the Twins AU that’s all from Benjamin’s perspective, but as that’s taking awhile and Nomad of Nowhere is still on hiatus, I wanted to write something out to thank you guys for indulging me in re-entering a hyperfixation while I work on finishing the other fic! Warning; I wrote this all yesterday and edited it today, so please forgive me for any grammar/spelling errors. Have an amazing day, I really hope you guys will like this one!

Hunter doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he’s scared, the short man shivering harder than a dead leaf in the back of his newfound prison; cold air blows from between the edges of the tarp covering his cage, which makes him shiver even harder. In all honesty, Hunter doesn’t remember much of what happened when he was captured; he remembers passing through a town with his sister and Toth, but after that it’s pretty fuzzy. Rubbing the back of his head, Hunter winces, feeling a very sensitive bump on the back of his skull. Someone must’ve knocked him out, just like that mean old Undertaker did almost a year ago! Hunter can’t help but give a silent sigh, the mute more than a little disappointed by this turn of events. Although it’s been a little hard coping with the fact that he and Skout are twins, they've been getting along incredibly well, and once Toth joined in, things were again hectic, but not in the worst of ways. Shaking his head, Hunter tries to focus on the here and now, desperate to look for an escape route. Whoever caught him was very careful and knew what they were doing, as they secured him in a pair of separated handcuffs, making it so that the young wizard can’t clap. On top of that, they’ve got his ankles tied together, therefore giving Hunter very few, if any, ways to escape his bindings. Now the nomad is in the back of what he believes is a wooden cart that’s typically used to transport large animals, something that makes him feel like a circus monkey.

Another hour or so passes since Hunter woke up without much happening, the wizard able to hear bits and pieces of a conversation between two people managing the cart, but they’re keeping their voices low enough that he can’t hear that much, leaving Hunter to sit and quietly wallow, tempted to cry out of fear, but he refuses to let the tears fall just yet. Toth and Skout already baby him too much- Toth seems hesitant to raise her voice near him, aware that it frightens the boy, while Skout always talks to him like he’s a little kid, despite them being the same freaking age!- and Hunter doesn’t want to inadvertently earn more pity from them, even though they’re not here to see him break down. Just because he’s mute and short doesn’t mean he’s not a fully grown adult with his own thoughts and feelings! In good time, Hunter is brought some relief as he feels the cart he’s riding in begin to slow down, suggesting they’re getting close to their destination. More shouting can be heard outside, and with the off and on rock of the cart moving forward, Hunter has a feeling his kidnappers are in line to get somewhere, possibly the capital of Nowhere, if his suspicions are correct of course. Now more than ever, the nomad is relieved that news hasn’t gotten out that Skout is a magic user too, or he’s certain she would have been taken as well; better for just him to be eaten, right? Oh  _ god…  _ Hunter let’s out an unwelcome whimper, the sound ghastly and unsettling.

“Easy, Nomad,” Someone upfront warns, even patting the metal wiring that acts as a small window between him and the prisoner. “It’s gonna be okay, lil’ buddy; we’re almost dere.”

“Don’t bother talkin’ to ‘im, Mike. He can’t fuckin’ talk, ‘member?” The other kidnapper says, likely rolling his eyes at his young partner in crime. “Come on, we’re almost to the gate. So, what’re ya gonna do with yer share, Mikey? I heard El Rey pays people dat help him  _ real  _ generously, ‘nough dat they don’t ever go hungry again!”

“Really? Den I think I’mma start up dat bakery wid my sister, seein’ as we might finally git enough ta do it… gosh, she’s gonna be  _ so  _ happy!” Mike cheers, Hunter just barely able to make out his smile through the bars of his prison.

After that, the kidnappers continue on with their conversation, Hunter tuning them out to the best of his ability, as he doesn’t want to hear about how they’re going to spend the money they’re going to get for selling him. Quietly, the wizard can’t help but wish- not for the first time- that he hadn’t been born with powers. If he hadn’t been, then maybe Mama would’ve taken him as well when she ran away, and he wouldn’t have had to be raised with the constant threat of being kidnapped and murdered. Of course, that means he wouldn’t have been able to live with or even hardly  _ know  _ his Papa… Hunter let’s out another soft sob, burying his face into his poncho, finding comfort in the clothes that his father left behind for him. It’s been so long since he died, but Hunter still misses Papa so much, and the longer he’s been wandering Nowhere, the more his pain has grown, though he’s careful to keep quiet about it in front of his friends (something that’s made easier by being born mute). Although they’re family, Hunter knows that bringing up his sorrow to Skout probably wouldn’t be a good idea, as Mama has her convinced that Papa was some kind of monster, and Toth… well, she just barely tolerates her girlfriend’s brother, so he doesn’t plan on telling her either. This leaves Hunter feeling even more miserable than he did when he woke up in this prison, the short magic user curling in on himself as he cries, with no one willing to comfort him.

“Well, hello there, travelers!” A chipper voice causes Hunter to momentarily cease his crying, the wizard struggling to quiet down so he can hear what’s happening outside. “Welcome to the capital of Nowhere, the city of Esperanza! Now, what can we do for you today? Unfortunately, it is after market hours, and we do not allow travelers into the city after dark unless it is truly urgent, so if you are not here on important business, I ask that you please leave.”

“It’s urgent,” One of the kidnappers explains, having been the one that scolded his partner for trying to comfort Hunter earlier. “Ya see, we’ve caught da Nomad ‘a Nowhere, ‘n we wanna git our reward fer catchin’ ‘im!”

There’s a pause, before the city greeter gives the cart behind them a once-over. “Is he in there? May I please check? I’m sure you understand, but we really  _ must  _ double-check before allowing you inside,” As the greeter circles the cart, they call out to someone nearly. “Henry! Henry, please come over here; we’re in need of a scan!”

After a bit of shuffling from outside, the tarp that had been covering the cart is removed, the moonlight outside revealing Hunter to everyone outside. Immediately, the nomad sees a number of soldiers dressed in the colors of the capital’s flag surrounding the cart on all sides, many of them unabashedly gasping at the sight of him. If that weren’t enough, a few travelers farther back in line dismount from their horses and carts, running to come ogle the small wizard. Hunter can’t help but squirm in earnest, uncomfortable with so many eyes on him, feeling akin to a circus sideshow, but seeing as he’s literally in an old cart for transporting circus animals, he may as well be just that. Again, Hunter feels traitorous tears slip down his face, dripping down to soak into his bandana and poncho. This only draws more unwanted attention, many of the travelers murmuring about how they didn’t know that wizards could cry. Eventually, the soldiers shoo the spectators away from Hunter’s cart, either out of pity for the man, or because they just want them out of the way. Either way, the nomad is grateful, taking a moment to wipe away his tears, though it’s hard with the handcuffs still holding his hands apart. When Hunter looks up afterwards, he sees someone new outside his cart, not at all afraid to come as close as he can. This newcomer is dressed in long, dark blue robes, and all at once, Hunter is reminded of the wizards in storybooks that his father read to him as a small child.

“Hello there, little one,” The wizard outside greets, tone friendly as he flips through a small book with one hand, the other raised and glowing the faintest of blues. “Forgive me if I’m slow with this, as I’m a bit of an amateur; just checking to make sure you’re the real deal.”

Hunter can’t help but stiffen, wondering deep down if this wizard will realize he’s not the original Nomad of Nowhere. However, those thoughts are dismissed as the wizard grins, nodding his head as he shuts his book with an air of finality. “Yep, looks like you’re the real nomad alright; one-hundred percent authentic magic is in your bones,” The wizard announces, turning to one of the nearby guards. “You can take him inside now, ma’am; El Rey will want to see him as soon as possible.”

“You heard the man; get it inside,” The captain of the guards orders, a few of the other soldiers mounting the front of the cart, the two kidnappers making way for them. The head guard then turns to the kidnappers, giving them a swift nod. “You two will be compensated for this at sunrise. For now, I will have a few of my men take you to the local tavern, where you are free to indulge as much as you see fit, so long as you are mindful to be sober tomorrow morning.”

“O-Of course!” Mike says, grinning excitedly at his partner. “You hear dat, boss? Free alcohol!”

“Fuck yeah, boy!” The other kidnapper cheers, hugging his friend and jumping up and down with him. “Come on, let’s go party!” He says, running with his partner into the city.

Once they’re gone, the captain simply sighs, shaking her head in disappointment. “Typical wastelanders, looking to get drunk at the drop of a hat… go on, men; you know your orders.” She waves the others off, giving them permission to continue into town.

With the tarp left on the ground to gather dust, Hunter is given a full view of the capital as his new kidnappers take him slowly through town, following a long road towards the castle. Outside, it seems word has traveled fast that the Nomad of Nowhere has been captured, as where the city streets had once been deserted due to how late it is, now  _ everyone  _ is sprinting out of their houses to get a look at the spectacle, eyes wide with wonder when Hunter passes them by. A few kids also are woken up by the commotion, unabashedly running alongside the cart to follow it as far as they can, and where Hunter expected them to throw rocks at him, they instead try sliding pebbles through the wires of his cage, loudly begging him to make the pebbles into Critters; it seems that most people know how his powers work by now. Unable to say anything, Hunter simply holds his hands up, managing to move his left wrist in a waving motion, just so the kids don’t feel like they’re being ignored. Although they’re obviously sad to not be getting any Critters, the children still excitedly wave back at Hunter, shouting about how they can’t wait to see him later. The wizard bites his lip, wishing he could tell them that they shouldn’t count on it, but perhaps it’s better that he can’t, if only to preserve their innocence. Soon, the guards finally reach the castle gates, again waiting to be let in, but this time the process is done much faster, the gatekeepers well aware of what they’re transporting.

Hunter, again, is amazed as they keep going on their journey, because while the capital city had a few spare plants and trees uncommon to Nowhere, beyond the gates is a magnificent and beautiful garden, the flowers closed due to the sun not showing, but they’re still gorgeously colored, and they probably look even better during the daytime. Hunter sighs internally, wishing he would be able to see them, but… well, he’s about to die, right? Once El Rey has him in his throne room- or even the kitchen/dining hall, if he’s even more sadistic than the nomad imagined- Hunter’s as good as gone, made to become more fodder for the king’s horrific crown. Will he finally be reunited with Papa? Seeing as Papa wasn’t consumed by the crown, Hunter isn’t sure, and that thought terrifies him, afraid that if he dies this way, his soul will be trapped, and he’ll never see his father again, not even in the afterlife. As horrifying as that is to consider, Hunter doesn’t let himself cry anymore, mostly because he’s dehydrated, but also because he wants to save face, and not look like a coward in front of El Rey. If nothing else, Hunter just hopes he can go out with some dignity to his name. He’s brought out of his thoughts a moment later, as the cart rolls to a complete stop, parking right in front of the castle doors. Immediately, several soldiers surround the cart on all sides, taking no chances when handling the nomad.

“Soldiers, gather up,” One of the head guardsman calls out, this one being a different captain than the one who ordered Hunter be brought here at the city’s front gate. Once the soldiers have followed orders, filing into a few neat little rows in front of their leader, the guardsman addresses them again. “As I’m sure so many of you already know, we are about to be transporting the Nomad of Nowhere to our beloved king of Nowhere, El Rey. You are to be extremely cautious when transporting him, as although the Nomad is currently incapacitated, he has been known to escape from even the most well secured traps known to non-magical men. For this reason, the Nomad must be monitored at all times by no less than five guards, and due to his tethered ankles, he will have to be carried. Under no circumstances are you to beat or assault the prisoner, as El Rey has asked that the Nomad be delivered to him unharmed, seeing as he has  _ very  _ special plans for him. If you all follow orders accordingly, I’ve no doubt you’ll be generously rewarded by his majesty, so don’t screw this up, understand? Dismissed.” She then steps aside, giving her soldiers access to the door of Hunter’s cart.

With military precision and speed, Hunter finds himself being grabbed by his boots, dragged out of the cart, and thrown over one of the taller guards’ shoulders in no less than a minute, the wizard quickly surrounded on all sides as he’s carried inside. Once they’re through the doors, a few of the guards seem to ease up, whispering amongst themselves now that they’re away from their captain. Hunter can’t make out much of what they’re saying, as they all seem to speaking strictly in Y’Dalian- something that was likely taught on purpose, if only because most people in Nowhere don’t speak Y’Dalian unless they’re an actual Y’Dala- though he can make out a few words and phrases, on account of being able to read the language quite well. From what Hunter can gather, they’re all just as excited as the townspeople about the Nomad of Nowhere being here, and they keep saying a very specific phrase, but Hunter can’t translate it properly, unfamiliar with the string of words. He’s probably read the phrase, but because he’s hardly come across any Y’Dala while traveling Nowhere, Hunter can’t figure out what’s being said. Not that it’s all that important, as by the time he’s even figuring out most of the words that are being said, the wizard is overcome with a great sense of dread, his whole body giving an unwelcome shiver, sensing something dangerous and evil nearby.

“We’re here,” The burly guard carrying Hunter says, speaking in Common so that the prisoner will understand him. “Be calm, Nomad… this will all be over soon. Don’t worry, his majesty is typically quite quick when dealing with your kind, so you won’t suffer for very long.”

The soldier doesn’t say anything more, as at the sound of a door opening in front of him, he tosses Hunter through the doorway, the door slamming shut with a note of finality as the wizard hits the ground. In the aftermath, Hunter slowly tries to sit up, finding it difficult to do so with all of the bindings he has on. The very second he thinks of this, there’s an audible  _ ‘snap’  _ in the air, and by the work of what has to be magic, Hunter’s ankles are set free, the rope that had been tying them together gone in an instant. Unsurprisingly, the handcuffs are still on, not that Hunter is going to complain about it, just happy to have control over his legs again. He quickly jumps to his feet, giving his surroundings an uneasy once-over, searching desperately for whoever freed him. As far as he can tell, he’s in an empty throne room, though it’s obviously well-tended to, as the walls are lined with torches that are still lit, giving the room a pale yellow glow. There are a variety of large, beautiful tapestries hung from the ceiling, many sewn to depict what Hunter can only assume are a number of El Rey’s so-called victories over the years. The pictures show burning villages, mutilated beasts of epic proportions, and mountains upon mountains of shining plunder, suggesting that El Rey has made quite the profit from his conquering spree. Depicted in all of the tapestries, without fail, is a tall, ominous man wearing a large, yellow crown with an eye as the jewel. It makes Hunter uneasy.

“Beautiful, aren’t they? The seamstresses really did a wonderful job capturing my…  _ essence.” _

The voice causes Hunter to jump in surprise, swinging to his left, and where there was no one beforehand, there’s now a tall, powerful looking Y’Dala man standing a mere foot away from him, standing as though he were the nomad’s companion. All at once, Hunter feels an immediate panic, eyes transfixed on the man’s ginormous, golden crown, the magical artifact feeling almost alive, it’s  _ ‘pulse’  _ nearly audible… or maybe that’s just Hunter nearing a panic attack, but whatever. It’s hard to look away from the crown, as his instincts classify it as an immediate and dangerous threat, but the wizard manages to break himself of his daze, eyes wandering curiously over El Rey, because this man is most  _ certainly  _ the king he’s feared for so long. El Rey wears long, silk robes, which cover red and yellow clothing that definitely should belong to any king worth their title, the cloth adorned with a few spare jewels and crystals. Offhandedly, one jewel in particular stands out to Hunter, as while most of the stones are in the same color range as El Rey’s other clothes, there’s a small, dark blue stone on a silver chain, being worn as a simple little necklace around the king’s neck. For whatever reason, it befuddles Hunter, as he doesn’t sense any power or magic coming from the jewelry, so why is El Rey wearing it? The color doesn’t really suit him. Pushing his rampant thoughts aside, Hunter again fixates on El Rey’s crown, growing more uncomfortable by the second, waiting to see what his captor will do to him, now that he’s within reach.

When Hunter doesn’t respond to El Rey, the king visibly wilts, and all too suddenly, the nomad has a suspicion that El Rey thinks he’s someone else. “Benjamin? Aren’t you going to  _ say  _ anything to me, my friend?” El Rey asks, confirming Hunter’s suspicions. The king turns to face the nomad completely, it being  _ his  _ turn to tactically examine the other magic user. “Something… something isn’t  _ right  _ here. You were always a short man, Benjamin, but you almost seem…  _ smaller  _ than before,” He circles Hunter, looking him up and down, his tone sounding close to something resembling concern. “And why are you still not speaking to me, Benny? I know you must be quite anxious, as you’ve always been a paranoid person, but you’ve rarely been one to hold your tongue either,” Without warning, El Rey grabs Hunter by the chin, forcing the nomad to stand on his tiptoes, though the king still has to lean down to come face to face with him, his breath hot against the exposed skin of the younger man’s face. “Those eyes, this  _ fear…  _ you’re not  _ Benjamin, _ are you?”

Weakly, Hunter shakes his head, though it’s hard when El Rey is still holding onto his chin. What’s going to happen _ now?  _ Will El Rey kill him? Why is the bad king acting so  _ weird? _ Why hasn’t he eaten him yet? Hunter can’t help but be skittish, squirming in El Rey’s grasp, which prompts the king to glance down, noticing the nomad’s bound hands. “Hm… interesting choice of handcuffs,” El Rey observes, giving them a worried furrow of his eyebrows. “I understand not wanting you to use your magic, but it’s not like these will keep you from using magic altogether, right? This is quite peculiar,” Without so much as blinking, the king unlocks Hunter’s handcuffs, letting them fall to the floor with a loud clunk. _ “There. _ Now, isn’t that better, Be-” He gets cut off midway through saying Papa’s name, Hunter slugging him as hard as he can in the jaw.

It’s probably a very,  _ very  _ stupid idea to punch, much less  _ hit,  _ the bad king of Nowhere, but Hunter finds himself feeling beyond furious, angry that this man is acting so weird with him. Though Papa spoke very little of his past, on the grounds that it would be inappropriate for Hunter to hear of such harrowing adventures, the boy would be lying if he said he didn’t know more than his father ever wanted him to, having secretly read a few passage’s of Papa’s old diaries after he passed away, as he had hoped to find answers to the questions he never had resolved; what was their race, of which they had never met another of their kind? Where was Mama, who had ran away before Hunter could get the chance to even know her? Where was Sissy, the unnamed sister that Papa couldn’t bear to speak of when asked about. These are all questions Hunter never had answered before his father died, and although he knew it would be disrespectful to do so, he had searched Papa’s old diaries and journals for answers. Instead, he found what seemed like his father’s last will and testament, detailing his grizzly past, including how he’d unintentionally scared Mama and Skout away, and had spiraled from there into a deep, terrible depression. Among those passages, Hunter saw bits and pieces of a larger puzzle, and after mentally forcing the pieces together, a horrifying painting formed in his mind. Not only had Papa worked for El Rey, but… he had loved him, and that love had been squandered, El Rey unable to control himself, even for the love of his life.

Were it not for the fact that he’s in mortal danger right now, Hunter would probably be able to draw similarities between Mama and Papa’s respective escapes, the two running from men who loved them dearly, but not enough to be spared of their violence.

Unfortunately for Hunter, El Rey isn’t staggered by the punch for very long at all, quick to snatch the nomad’s wrists with his hands, the king’s face forming an angry scowl that fills Hunter will more fear than ever before. “That wasn’t very  _ nice, _ now was it, young man?” Despite how  _ furious  _ the king clearly is, El Rey’s voice doesn’t change in pitch, still soft as a freshly washed blanket, but lacking the warmth it should hold. “Such a strange turn of events, Nomad of Nowhere… who exactly  _ are  _ you, underneath these old clothes? I want to know who took my Benjamin away from me.” El Rey releases one of Hunter’s hands, if only to free his own in order to snap his fingers.

In a flash of grey smoke, Hunter’s bandana, hat, and headscarf are all gone, either destroyed or moved elsewhere. Despite all that’s happened so far, with El Rey calling him by his father’s name several times, the reality of his situation setting in, and after punching the king in the face,  _ this  _ is what makes Hunter start crying again, filled with fear at the thought of his father’s last few gifts to him being disintegrated before his very eyes. Unwillingly, the young wizard begins to sob, biting his lower lip to try and stop himself, but it’s no use, the clear tears trailing silently down his face, his breath hitching in muted coughs. In the meantime, El Rey just…  _ stares  _ at Hunter, letting go of the younger wizard’s other hand without warning, eyes wide with an emotion the nomad can’t name or grasp, too caught up in his own nightmare to handle anything else. Still barely functional, Hunter at least has the good sense to back away from El Rey now that he’s not being held, quick to wrap his arms around his torso in an attempt to protect himself, eyes never leaving the eyed jewel of the king’s crown. Is this it? Will Hunter now be dissolved like his father’s clothes, without hardly anything to remind the world that he was the Nomad of Nowhere’s son? Not really thinking about it, one of Hunter’s hands trails down to his pocket, the same one he’s hidden his most prized possession in for years. It’s not something he’s looked at in a long while, seeing how much it hurts his skin to touch, but he still clutches it through the fabric of his pants, wanting to feel closer to his father in his last moments alive.

El Rey snaps out of his stupor at the movement, his only visible eye locked onto where Hunter is clinging to his pants, his gaze curious. “What is that in your pocket?” The king asks, unable to take his eye off of it.

Hunter frantically shakes his head, now clinging to the pocket with both hands; he won’t let El Rey take this from him, too! This only draws more curiosity, El Rey growing irritated with Hunter’s continued insolence. “Don’t be like that, boy; show me what you have,” He tries being more stern, leveling the nomad with a look that practically dares the young wizard to disobey him. “Go on, pull it out or I’ll take whatever it is away from you, too!”

Hunter jumps at the sudden shout, more tears falling, but he begrudgingly obeys, having never been one to test an angry man’s patience before. Slowly, he pulls out his most prized possession, it being a long, silver necklace, it being bare of any real jewels or marvels. El Rey’s eye only widens further, obviously recognizing it, but Hunter isn’t sure how; as far as he knows, Papa was given this necklace by the person he said was his first soulmate, so he always thought it was a gift from Mama. Of course, considering all he learned from his father’s journals, and how Papa always phrased it as being from his  _ ‘first’  _ soulmate… Hunter feels like he’s about to vomit, aware of what sort of position he might just be in. Here he is, the product of Mama and Papa’s love for each other, faced with a man who obviously once held some level of affection for his father, and likely views Hunter as a slight to that affection. Not even aware he’s doing it, Hunter slips into a fighting stance that Toth taught him, prepared to fight for his life, because as scared as he is right now, he doesn’t want to die, not when he still has his sister and mother to return home to, and so many more adventures he wants to embark on. As far as Hunter can tell, this man, El Rey, is all that’s standing between him and living a happy, carefree life. If it weren’t for the bad king, magic would still be prominent in Nowhere. Much as he despises violence, Hunter readies himself to go to war, and if he dies, he can only hope it will help the people of Nowhere’s cause, and inspire them to fight back as well.

But El Rey doesn’t look like he wants to hurt Hunter at all. If anything, he seems…  _ fixated  _ on him. Is that just because he knows that the Nomad has magic and could therefore be a threat, or because of something else? El Rey, again, snaps out of his trance, eyes still locked onto Hunter’s necklace. “Where…” The king’s voice croaks, something that catches the younger wizard off-guard. “Where did you get that, young man?” He asks, tone pleading.

Hunter falters, unsure of what to do. He abruptly gives up on keeping a fighting stance, straightening as he looks El Rey up and down, befuddled beyond words, not that he’s capable of speaking to begin with. Hesitantly, he opens and shuts his mouth, trying so hard to form words, to give an explanation, but it’s hopeless.

El Rey sighs, his shoulders sagging as he comes down from his shock. “So… the rumors are true; you really  _ are  _ a mute,” He looks away, Hunter no longer able to see his eye, as the one that’s in view is completely covered by the king’s crown. “All this time, I assumed you had just taken up some sort of vow of silence, but… that never suited you, Benjamin,” He keeps turning his head to glance at the nomad, only to glance away again after a few seconds, as if he’s ashamed to look at him. “And yet… you’re  _ not  _ Benjamin. You look just like him, but you’re not him,” It’s only now that Hunter can see El Rey’s shoulders quivering, suggesting he’s close to a breakdown. “I… I was too _ late. _ I thought, after I got this  _ damned  _ crown under more of my control, I could find you again, and we could start over… but you’re  _ dead!” _ He shouts at the end of his sentence, the entire throne room quaking with the force of his scream. “You were supposed to live  _ longer,  _ goddammit! You told me you could survive for  _ centuries, _ and yet you’re gone in less than two! And what on  _ earth  _ did you leave behind for me to find, Ben!?” He swings around, glaring at Hunter with his good eye, his iris glowing a dusky, terrible red. “This… this _ shadow?” _ He growls, unhappy with this turn of events.

Hunter is, as usual, speechless. Even if he  _ could  _ speak, he wouldn’t know what to say in response to all of this. On one hand, he knows that the madman in front of him is known for his violence, rage, and sadistic torture, so really, Hunter shouldn’t pity him in any conceivable way. But on the other hand… he doesn’t  _ pity  _ him so much as  _ empathize  _ with him, understanding his pain better than most people probably would. After all, he’s been missing Papa for years now, so he can only imagine how El Rey, a king that’s been alive for countless centuries, must feel after receiving the news. It makes Hunter’s heart ache quite terribly, mimicking El Rey’s pain, though he doesn’t consciously do so, not wanting to grieve again, but he can’t stop it from happening, tears spilling for the millionth time tonight. El Rey, in the meantime, saunters away from his prisoner, practically dragging himself to his throne. There, he plops down into the chair, his head quickly becoming pillowed in his hands, shoulders shaking as he begins to silently weep, the few sounds that get out from between his fingers mournful and heartbreaking to hear. Still rather uncertain, Hunter eyes the nearest window, half considering escaping while he has the chance; he could clap up some Critters once he got into town, and then use them to force his way out, then lie low for a few days before trying to find Skout and Toth again. And yet… Hunter glances again at El Rey, wilting at the sight of such clear grieving, and despite the danger he’s facing, he knows he can’t leave him like this.

Rather shyly, Hunter tiptoes closer to the throne, this scene vaguely reminding him of all the times he saw his father bawling in the dead of night, head resting on his folded arms as he cried into the kitchen table, wailing over so many different traumas from his past. Sometimes it was about Mama, or his time running away from El Rey, or about Grandpappy. Every single time, Hunter would climb into Papa’s lap and simply cuddle against his chest, trying to hug away his sadness, as he couldn’t talk it away with his words. On occasion, Hunter would also draw his father a picture afterwards, oftentimes writing out on his drawing the things he so desperately wished to say aloud, but couldn’t. Seeing as he’s not a little kid anymore, Hunter doesn’t feel comfortable drawing for El Rey, especially because he’s, well,  _ El Rey. _ Nonetheless, the younger wizard searches the throne room for something to write on, eventually finding a feather pen and several pieces of blank paper;  _ perfect. _ Next, Hunter looks around for something to write against, eventually just settling for using the nearest wall, careful not to accidentally leave any marks. All the while, El Rey doesn’t say or do anything, too caught up in his grief to remember that he has an audience, which Hunter can’t say he minds, as it gives him time to write everything out properly. Once he’s done with the letter, he folds it up, then walks over to stand in front of El Rey, feeling no different than he did at seven years old and comforting his father.

El Rey looks up pretty quickly when the nomad approaches, eye widening when he sees who it is. “Oh, right…  _ you,” _ He says, glancing away with no small amount of discomfort on his face. “Look, how about you just leave, alright? Clearly I have you confused for someone else, and I’m too upset to eat, so how about you consider this a victory and leave, okay? I want to be alone.”

Hunter’s half tempted to accept that offer, but instead, he wordlessly hands his letter to El Rey. The king pulls a face, confused by the gesture, but he takes it nonetheless, reading it over slowly, as he can’t read as fast as someone like Skout can.

“Dear, El Rey. I don’t know much about you, and you probably don’t know very much about me either, but I’m Benjamin’s son, Hunter. Sometime after he ran away from you, he met my mother, and together they had me. My mother ended up leaving, unfortunately, forcing my father to raise me by himself. Although he seemed uncomfortable talking about it most of the time, he told me about you every so often; I’ll admit, they were mostly horror stories, but some of them were actually very sweet, and showed me that you were once a really good king, especially in his eyes. He told me about how he missed you a lot, and wanted to see you again, but couldn’t because of your crown. I’m not going to lie- I’m very afraid of you- but I want to believe that deep down, you’re still a good person, just like my father said you were. I’m not sure if you’ll even believe any of this, but I hope you know that it’s true when I say I’m Benjamin’s son, and that he loved you very much. I don’t know what I can do to help you, El Rey, but whatever you need, please let me know… but please don’t eat me.”

Once he’s done reading through it, El Rey finally glances back up at Hunter, eye fixated on the young wizard’s face. Unnerved, Hunter can’t help but back off a step, afraid that El Rey is about to consume his soul. The king stands, following the nomad as he backs up, and after a few steps, he grabs Hunter by one of his wrists again, forcing the boy to stay still. With the nomad now stuck in one place, El Rey again uses his other hand to snatch the boy’s chin, turning his head this way and that to get a better look at him, likely trying to find the traits that are Benjamin’s, not that they’re hard to find. Hunter squirms in discomfort, hating to be manhandled in such a way, but the king doesn’t budge, intent on holding him here until he finds everything that he’s looking for. Eventually, El Rey let’s go of the nomad’s wrist, using his now free hand to cup Hunter’s cheek, his human eye glowing a gentle baby blue. This catches the younger wizard even  _ more  _ off-guard, unfamiliar with this magic, as he thought all of El Rey’s magic came from the crown, and was typically colored bright red; if anything, this reminds Hunter of the wizard from the front gate. After a minute or so, El Rey blinks, tears falling from his eye as he releases Hunter, but only for a few seconds, as before the nomad can run for it, El Rey grabs him by the shoulders, his eye refusing to look away from the prisoner’s face. Hunter swallows, secretly curious as to what his captor is planning on doing to him next. For whatever reason, he has a feeling it won’t necessarily be  _ violent, _ but he doesn’t think he’ll like it either.

“You really  _ are  _ Benny’s son,” El Rey whispers, even more shocked than Hunter is by everything that’s happened tonight. “Good god, how  _ old  _ are you? Why the name  _ Hunter _ of all names? Do you have any siblings? Where’s your  _ mother? _ Is she still alive, or is she dead as well?” He doesn’t hesitate to bombard Hunter with questions, desperate to know everything that he’s missed out on knowing sooner.

Hunter grimaces, glancing at the spare pieces of paper he left on the floor, as well as the feather pen. El Rey tracks the movement, staring at the items as well. “You can’t talk… but you can obviously write,” He says, snapping his fingers to produce a proper notebook and better pen from thin air, quick to shove them into Hunter’s hands. “Here, tell me everything! Tell me everything you know!” He orders, a slight smile starting to form on his face.

Hunter contemplates on what to write at first, silently deciding he should tell El Rey as little as possible when it comes to Mama and Skout, but he can at least answer a few of the king’s other questions. “[I’m about twenty-one years old, my father never said why he named me Hunter other than citing it was a strong name, I don’t have any siblings, and my mother is dead.]” He writes out, turning the notebook so El Rey can read it’s contents.

El Rey reads the answers before giving Hunter a tentative little smile, his expression suggesting he  _ wants  _ to be happy, but due to his power and position, he can’t be too hasty. “I see… so you’re an orphan? How tragic, especially for such a young man,” El Rey says, his gaze almost…  _ excited?  _ Hunter prays it’s not sexual. “And how old were you when your father passed away, Hunter? I can only hope it was recent, if only so you wouldn’t lose him at too young an age.”

Hunter feels uneasy, grimacing again, but he begrudgingly scribbles out an answer for the curious king. “[I was about twelve years old when Papa passed away.]” He writes, not wanting to say anything more. Unfortunately, he doesn’t notice his slip up in calling his father Papa until El Rey’s already reading it.

El Rey nods, eye full of sympathy, though it does nothing to comfort the nomad. “How horrible, to lose him before you were even a teenager,” He comments, and without warning, he swings an arm over Hunter’s shoulders, flashing the younger wizard a shark’s smile. “There must have been so much you weren’t taught about magic, about your father’s past, about  _ life…  _ no  _ wonder  _ all you can do is create string-less puppets,” Gingerly, he turns Hunter to face him, cupping the boy’s hands in his own as he locks eyes with him, trying to come off as almost…  _ fatherly. _ It makes the nomad shiver. “I doubt you’ll trust me to make good on such an offer, but I could teach you _ so much. _ I could teach you to use more spells, to fight, to  _ live…  _ you didn’t  _ deserve  _ to lose your father so early in life. You understand that I loved Benjamin dearly, yes? What kind of friend would I be then if I left his son, his pride and joy, to navigate this cruel, awful world all by himself? I’ve no intention of replacing your father, Hunter, but perhaps I could at least…  _ compensate  _ for his absence,” Oh so delicately, he frees a hand to cup Hunter’s face again, the action gentle and loving, but not in a way that Hunter might worry about it being sexual. “I know you probably won’t accept my help right away, but I  _ must  _ fulfill my duty to Benjamin, and fix the damage he couldn’t. Don’t worry, Hunter; you’ll never be abandoned like that ever again.”

Hunter’s eyes are wide with terror, the nomad shaking harder than a really intense handshake. The next few seconds are a tad blurry, but he knows he shoves El Rey as hard as he can, breaking the king’s grasp on him. “Dammit!” The king curses when Hunter shoves him away, quick to fix the younger wizard with a stern glare. “That’s not how we treat our new guardians, young man,” He warns, standing to his full height again, crown glowing with anger. “Come here right now, Hunter… I don’t want to hurt you, but I will use tough love if it is necessary. You wouldn’t want to disappoint your father, now would you?”

Hunter can’t bring himself to fear the king’s threat. Instead, he claps as fast and hard as he can, movements frantic. Upon his signal, all of the torches in the room come alive, two eyes popping up on each handle, blinking to life within seconds. Instead of leaping down to fight El Rey, as that would be a fruitless endeavor, Hunter simply has them extinguish their flames, the throne room going completely dark. Although Hunter wishes he had his scarf and bandana, he’s momentarily glad they’re gone, if only because the bright, violent red would be very noticeable in the shrouded room. El Rey can’t be seen properly through the shadows, but Hunter still sees the king’s horrible, glowing eye embedded into his crown, the area around El Rey’s head bathed in darker shades of red light, making him look like the king of hell instead of the king of Nowhere. Hunter knows better than to stick around, dashing for the nearest window, and without really stopping to think, he throws himself through it, breaking the painted glass on his way out. He falls directly into a large, beautifully lush tree, the branches and leaves smacking against Hunter so many times on his way down that they break his fall, though he still damn near breaks something when he hits the ground, the nomad letting out a loud screech on impact. It’s not often that he Screams, as Papa always warned him that it was dangerous and could hurt people really badly, but it’s not like Hunter  _ meant  _ to shout; he can’t help that it hurt like hell to jump out a freaking window!

To the wizard’s shock, he hardly has any time to recover, as a large group of soldiers are gathered around near where he landed, the odd stench in the air suggesting they were trying to smoke something prohibited while hidden away from their superior officers. However, Hunter’s unexpected Scream gives him an advantage, as everyone who hears it automatically begins to panic with fear, the sound causing them all to have panic attacks. The sight makes the young wizard feel guilty, but he can’t afford to stay and comfort his victims, as he can already hear El Rey shouting for him to come back. Hunter leaps to his feet, running for dear life, but as the gates to the castle are now closed and securely locked, a mystical veil of magic suggesting instant death if the bars are touched, he has no choice but to run into the large, luxurious gardens behind the castle. Before Hunter are a wide array of flowers of all species and colors, and were it not for the seriousness of his situation, he would probably want to admire them or even snatch a few, if only to show his flower-adoring sister them once he sees her again. At the thought of her, and how heartbroken she would be to lose him so soon after reuniting with him, Hunter forces himself to get moving again, sprinting into a very small gathering of fruit trees, hoping to climb one in order to stay out of sight. As luck would have it though, none of the branches are low enough for him to jump up and grab them.

“Come on out, Nomad,” A voice calls out from a small gathering of soldiers- these ones different from the ones who were high and panicking- that are heading right for him, though they don’t seem to see him just yet. “Nomad, where are you? You need to come with us, lil’ buddy; the king won’t hurt you, I promise!”

Hunter doesn’t stick around to figure out whether or not that’s true, deciding to keep running further into the garden instead, soon discovering the entrance to a large maze of tall, thick hedges. If he had more time, he would clap together a few Critters to go ahead of him and scout out the quickest way to get through, but as there’s nowhere else to run to, and the soldiers are closing in on him… stubbornly, Hunter runs into the maze, realizing very early on that this place doesn’t actually  _ have  _ an exit other than the entrance, which means he’s going to inevitably going to reach a dead-end, no matter which way he goes. It’s too late though, the group of soldiers already having followed him inside, so out of desperation and anxiety, Hunter dashes with all his might. However, he’s dehydrated, hungry, and scared, and with so much stacked against him, he’s running out of steam real fast. Even so, Hunter is nothing if not determined to escape El Rey and his forces, so much so that when he reaches yet another dead-end, he bites the bullet and starts climbing the wall of foliage before him, not even caring that this is traditionally against the rules when going through a garden maze, but so is not having an exit! It’s a struggle to get up, on account of his low energy reserves, but Hunter eventually gets on top of the hedge, standing up on shaking legs to look his surroundings over. Again, he doesn’t see a way out other than the entrance, but this is better than being walled in.

With El Rey’s soldiers not far behind him, Hunter starts running again, having to jump between gaps in order to stay on top of the hedges, aiming to just lose his chasers in the maze before going back where he came from, hopeful that he can find another way out. However, on one of the jumps, Hunter’s ankle twists, nearly snapping as he tumbles to the ground, the boy taking a handful of broken twigs and leaves with him. Afraid, running out of options, and with the soldiers closing in on him, Hunter gives a few quick claps, turning the twigs and leaves he knocked down into a few Critters. The Critters help him as best they can, helping to drag the injured wizard into one of the hedges, which is honestly a very tight fit, as these hedges have been meticulously packed together and trimmed. Offhandedly, Hunter can’t help but wonder what this maze is even  _ doing  _ here, if it really does have no exit. It can’t be used for public entertainment… the nomad shivers, believing that this is a death maze, made to let El Rey and his forces hunt down their prisoners for sport, likely getting off on such a horrible form of torture. This, among other things, causes Hunter to bite his bottom lip to keep from whimpering or crying, afraid of being heard by the people chasing him. Soon enough, a few soldiers pass by, deciding for some reason to stop directly in front of Hunter’s hiding spot. Upon closer examination, he can hear more soldiers behind him, effectively cornering him…  _ oh no. _

“We found him, your majesty!” The captain of the squad bellows, looking over their shoulder at someone. “He’s right over here, hiding in the bushes like a damn child!” The captain actually sneers at Hunter, unimpressed by the childish attempt to hide. “Absolutely  _ pitiful…  _ I expected  _ more  _ from the Nomad of Nowhere.”

“Well of course you did, Captain,” El Rey says, tone all too calm for a man who’s patience has been endlessly tested. He comes striding over to his men, arms crossed behind his back in order to appear more professional, as if he weren’t ten seconds away from strangling the son of his ex-boyfriend. “But you must understand that this is  _ not  _ the first Nomad of Nowhere… in fact, this is the Nomad’s son.”

“The Nomad has a  _ son!?” _ The captain is astonished, giving Hunter a more uneasy look now through the leaves covering him. “Wow… this is  _ huge. _ Does he have anymore kids, your majesty?”

“I’m unsure at the moment, as I doubt the Nomad is above lying to me,” El Rey admits, coming to crouch in front of Hunter’s hiding spot, his gaze unyielding and painfully neutral. “Though, we’ve plenty of time to figure out more, now don’t we?” He slowly smiles, which promises trouble for his unruly prisoner. “You’re quite the rambunctious young wizard, Hunter… but don’t you worry, I won’t be making anymore mistakes while you’re staying with me,” Abruptly, El Rey stands, snapping his fingers, summoning Hunter’s missing clothes back into existence, as well as drawing his troops’ attention back to him. “I want the Nomad taken back to the castle and imprisoned in one of my guest bedrooms, understand? Do  _ not  _ leave him unattended under  _ any  _ circumstances; I will speak with him in the morning.” With that, he turns heel, handing off the hat and accessories to a nearby soldier so they can deal with this instead.

Hunter watches him go, feeling faint as the world seems to spin all around him, the young wizard having his own panic attack as he comes to the dawning realization that, no matter what he says or does, it looks like he’s going to be here for a  _ long  _ time. As the soldiers forcefully pull him out of the hedge, roughly securing his scarf, bandana, and hat back onto his body, Hunter passes out without a word, the stress and exhaustion causing his body to give out on him. The captain of the guards catches him before he can hit the ground, shouting something to El Rey from afar, the king running back to his troops to find out what’s wrong, but Hunter doesn’t get to see his reaction, choosing to close his eyes as his visions blurs and, eventually, goes completely dark.

As his body switches between feeling overheated and freezing, all Hunter can think of is his sister, wishing he could warn her of the vicious ex-flame of their father’s, who may very well come after her next. For now, he’ll sleep, and pray that when he wakes up, this will all have been a terrible nightmare.

**Author's Note:**

> Dun dun dun! A very dramatic and kinda rushed story, but I wanted to write out how I imagined Hunter in the Twins AU would feel about meeting El Rey, considering the backstory I have planned for Benjamin and his relationship with the king… I dunno if I’ll continue this at any point, but if I do, it’ll be after I finish my next Nomad of Nowhere fic! Thank you all for reading, and have an amazing day!


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